| Author |
Topic: anyone recognize this tuning? |
Stanford Lane
From:
Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 2 Dec 2005 1:56 pm |
|
I came across a player recently who has his lap steel tuned as follows:
high to low; Eb-B-G#-F#=Eb-B-A-F#
Has anyone heard of this tuning? If so, please pass your wisdom along.
Stan
|
|
|
 |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 2 Dec 2005 2:04 pm
|
|
| Looks like C13 tuned down a half step. |
|
|
|
Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
|
Posted 2 Dec 2005 5:25 pm
|
|
| Amaj7/9+4. Or B13. No wait, Gm7b9. [This message was edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 05 December 2005 at 11:06 PM.] |
|
|
|
Stanford Lane
From:
Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 2 Dec 2005 7:09 pm
|
|
Hey jeff,
I don't understand your response. Could you resubmit?[This message was edited by Stanford Lane on 02 December 2005 at 08:12 PM.] |
|
|
|
Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
|
Posted 2 Dec 2005 8:41 pm
|
|
Stanford-Looks like a B6 tuning but with the A makes the bottom B7....al  |
|
|
|
George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
|
Posted 2 Dec 2005 10:07 pm
|
|
| I think Jeff's second choice is the correct one ! |
|
|
|
Mike Ihde
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 12:27 am
|
|
B13 is the chord but you can't call it Eb when it should be D#. It's little things like that that drive me nuts. A B7 chord comes from the key of E which has 4 sharps (F#,C#,G# and D#) so calling anything a flat is what they call enharmonic spelling. That means it's the same pitch but the wrong name. Like saying the tune's in the key of B# instead of C.
Maybe someone can explain why in the standard E9th pedal steel tuning, the second string is usually referred to as an Eb when it really should be called a D# to be correct for the key of E which the tuning is based on.
|
|
|
|
Mark Switzer
From:
Los Angeles California, USA
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 2:16 am
|
|
| I certainly can`t, Mike. Drives me nuts,too. Although some would say that isn`t a drive, it`s a short putt. |
|
|
|
Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 5:02 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| Maybe someone can explain why in the standard E9th pedal steel tuning, the second string is usually referred to as an Eb when it really should be called a D# to be correct for the key of E which the tuning is based on. |
And for that matter, why are they called the "chromatic" strings when they should *correctly* be called the "diatonic" strings?
------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association
|
|
|
|
basilh
From:
United Kingdom
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 5:05 am
|
|
I think Mike is 100% correct with his comments.. Also I personally think that the E9th should be called "Nashville Ninth" as the E ninth chord CAN'T have a D# in it, whereas the "Nashville Ninth" can describe a note arrangement and not a specific chord.
And, with an F note at the bottom, why isn't the C6th called F Maj9 ? or C6sus4 ?
------------------
| Quote: |
| Steel players do it without fretting |
 
|
|
|
|
Stanford Lane
From:
Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 5:38 am
|
|
Hi Mike,
I agree with you. I formed my question based on the exact answer that this gentleman gave to my question about his tuning. It was that Eb string that caused my confusion. You know when you stare at something long enough, you begin to question your first conclusions.
Are there any advantages to this tuning? I am beginning to think that this is a question of just his personal preference.
Stan |
|
|
|
Wayne Cox
From:
Chatham, Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 8:35 am
|
|
Does all of this mean that if I put my bar on the first fret,the seventh string won't be an A#??? Just kidding! I know that it would be a Bb in C,but does that mean that when I go sharp I go flat?? 
~~W.C.~~ |
|
|
|
Mike Ihde
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 10:23 am
|
|
Wayne...Yes!
Also, string players and other classical types, play certain notes differently depending on the key they're in. A B in the key of C is played sharper than the same B in the key of E. I suppose we all do that a little since we can intonate by moving the bar but to them there really are big differences to how a note is pitched. |
|
|
|
Stephan Miller
From:
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 12:25 pm
|
|
Stan-- The tuning your friend uses is a small variation on the popular 8-string 61356135 (lo-hi) tuning. Usually you see this as C6 with a high G, or A6 with a high E. So tweaking the 8th string up a half step gives you the 13th tuning and an extra handful of cool chords. All your friend has done is pitch this variation in B. Ask him why the next time you see him.
I use the same 61356135 tuning, and twist the bass string up to get the 13th from time to time. I usually pitch this in Bb6/Bb13 because the band I'm in plays a few tunes in A and a whole lot in C. Being tuned in Bb keeps me off the 12th fret and the extra chiminess that comes with it. It also avoids the "thin" sound of the high G in the C6 tuning, and is a little less "bassy" than A6.
I do keep a steel tuned in C6 for instructional material, lessons, etc. --Steve
[This message was edited by Stephan Miller on 03 December 2005 at 12:26 PM.] |
|
|
|
Stanford Lane
From:
Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 3 Dec 2005 2:38 pm
|
|
Steve,
Thanks for the info. That clears alot up for me. As an aside, this man teaches steel and he instructs mostly in E7 and C6. At any rate thanks for joining in on this thread.
Stan |
|
|
|
